In May, San Jose's East Side Union High School District (ESUHSD) completed the largest K-12 solar and energy efficiency program in the United States. The 7.1 MW solar and energy efficiency project is expected to generate $43 million in energy cost savings over the life of the project through 13 sites across the district.
At a time when California's school districts are struggling with diminishing budgets, the solar project will help the district save on energy costs, reduce environmental impact and serve as an interactive learning resource for district students.
"Our new solar and energy efficiency project will generate savings in the first year equivalent to the funding required for approximately 30 teacher jobs," said ESUHSD Board President Lan Nguyen. "At a time when our district is being forced to absorb painful budget cuts due to the continued economic downturn, this program provides reason to celebrate."
The renewable energy project, completed by Chevron Energy Solutions, will also serve as a learning tool for ESUHSD students as part of their science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) curriculum. The district collaborated with Chevron Energy Solutions to create professional development courses for teachers and hands-on experiments for students which will encourage energy efficiency and environmental awareness. As part of the new curriculum, students will be able to visit the solar panels and monitor their performance.
ESUHSD expects the program will offset its annual electrical usage by more than 55 percent while supporting California's clean energy goals. As a result, the district expects to reduce carbon emissions by more than 4,900 metric tons, equivalent to more than 800 football fields of pine forests.
The ESUHSD project is the fifth in a series of Chevron Energy Solutions renewable energy and energy efficiency projects throughout Silicon Valley school districts. Combined, the five projects equate to more than 20 MW of energy savings.